The Island, Wednesday 29th November, 2006 ‘A’ manage to hold on for a draw

Sri Lanka ‘A’ lower order bats- ment, followed soon to put the Wijekeoon were the only players men showed fighting spirit after West Indies on top again. to hit half-centuries for Sri lacklustre top order to Then leg-spinner Kaushal Lanka, but overall, the top order draw the first unofficial Test Lokuarachchi and seamer failed miserably. against West Indies ‘A’ at Nuwan Kulasekara, Guaracara Park in Trinidad yes- one of Sri Lanka’s Scoreboard terday. The hosts declared on the heroes in that famous final day morning at 263 for four, drawn Test at Lord’s West Indies ‘A’ first innings 267 Sri Lanka ‘A’ first innings 252 setting Sri Lanka a target of 279 this year, added 40 West Indies ‘A’ second innings o/n 178-3 in 79 overs and at close the runs for the eighth D. Smith ct. Silva b Kulasekera 117 tourists were 238 for eight. and more S. Chattergoon ct. Silva b Perera 6 On a fourth day pitch, Sri importantly played W. Hinds b Weerakoon 29 Lanka ‘A’ top order batsmen ran out time. S. Joseph ct. Samaraweera b Weerakoon 29 into problems and were dis- After Kulasekara’s R. Hinds 34 missed cheaply. They were dismissal, N. Deonarine not out 35 reduced for nine for three with Lokuarachchi shared Extras: (b-3, lb-6, nb-4) 13 Avishka Gunawardene (1), an unbroken 29 run Total: (for 4 wkts decl.) 263 Mahela Udawatta (5) and Jeevan partnership for the Fall of : 1-19, 2-91, 3-178, 4-212. Mendis (0) all falling cheaply. ninth wicket with left- : N. Kulasekera 17-3-63-1 (nb-3), R. Perera 6-1- Jehan Mubarak and arm spinner Gayan 19-1 (nb-1), S. Weerakoon 16-2-68-2, J. Mubarak 5-1- Thilan Samaraweera resisted for Wijekoon to ensure a 23-0, G. Wijekoon 9-2-32-0, K. Lokuarachchi 13-5-37- a while but when West Indian draw for Sri Lanka. 0, J. Mendis 3-0-12-0. paceman Richard Kelly dis- For the West missed them in quick succession, Indies’ it was an Sri Lanka ‘A’ second innings Sri Lanka ‘A’ were badly placed at opportunity missed, A. Gunawardene ct sub. Dowlin b Rampaul 1 60 for five. but Sri Lanka will M. Udawatte ct. Browne b Richardson 5 But then came the resistance gain a lot of confi- J. Mendis ct Joseph b Rampaul 0 T. Samaraweera ct sub. Dowlin b Kelly 13 from the lower order. All-rounder dence from this draw J. Mubarak lbw Kelly 26 Gayan Wijekoon hit an impres- ahead of the next G. Wijekoon lbw R. Hinds 58 sive 58 and wicketkeeper Kaushal unofficial Test Match. K. Silva ct. Browne b R. Hinds 37 Silva provided him company Leading batsman K. Lokuarachchi not out 37 with a solid 37 and Sri Lanka ‘A’ Malintha Warnapura, N. Kulasekera ct. Smith b Kelly 26 had some hope when the pair who was ruled out of S. Weerakoon not out 9 added 94 runs for the sixth wick- the first game with flu Extras: (lb5, nb-16, w-2) 23 et. will also be available Total: (for eight wickets, 70 overs) 235 Their resistance was ended for the game. Fall of wickets: 1-08, 2-09, 3-09, 4-41, 5-60, 6-154, 7- when Silva nicked one to wicket- The positive for 162, 8-206, keeper Patrick Browne off the Sri Lanka was Bowling: A. Richardson 13-2-32-1 (nb-6, w-1), R. bowling of and Kulasekara’s impres- Rampaul (10-3-37-2 (nb-4), R. Kelly 10-2-28-3 (w-1), R. Wijekoon, not highly rated by Sri sive six wicket haul. Hinds 20-2-55-2 (nb-5), D. Sammy 4-0-17-0 (nb-1), N. West Indies batsman , right, is clean bowled by Pakistani pacer Umar Gul, (with back to camera), during the second day Lanka’s senior team manage- Gunawardene and Deonarine 9-034-0, W. Hinds 4-2-7-0. of their third and final Test match at National stadium in Karachi, Pakistan yesterday. AP Photo/Shakil Adil) Scoreboard Ganga fights on Pakistan first innings (O/n257 for seven) Australia unchanged for second Test Mohammad Hafeez b Collymore 18 Imran Farhat c Ramdin b Bravo 47 , Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australia named an Watson was again ruled out with a hamstring injury, and decided after Gul rattles Younis Khan run out 20 unchanged 13-man squad for the second Ashes test against to stick with the team that beat England by 277 runs in the series Mohammad Yousuf lbw b Collymore 102 England starting in on Friday, said. opener in on Monday. Inzamam-ul-Haq c Chanderpaul b Ganga 18 Australia’s selectors met on Tuesday, a day late after Shane “We are obviously thrilled with the first test result but we Shoaib Malik lbw b Taylor 18 expect Adelaide to be an extraordinarily tough test West Indies Abdul Razzaq c Ramdin b Bravo 7 Kamran Akmal b Collymore 31 match,” selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) - juggling catch at mid-on. Shahid Nazir b Powell 0 said in a statement. Opening batsman Daren Ganga Two balls later, Gul Umar Gul b Powell 26 “We have picked a squad of 13 to suit the made an unbeaten half century squared up Lara with a Danish Kaneira not out 7 conditions in Adelaide and will look to finalise the Tuesday after Pakistan paceman superb that Extras: (1b, 7lb, 2nb) 10 11 during the course of preparation for this test Umar Gul rattled the West Indies moved away slightly and TOTAL: (all out) 304 match,” he said. with three top-order wickets in 10 knocked back his off- Overs: 100.5. Batting time: 451 minutes. Pacemen Shaun Tait and balls on the second day of the stump. Ramnaresh Fall of wickets: 1-26, 2-72, 3-112, 4-178, 5-222, 6- were retained in the squad and there was no third and final cricket test. Sarwan, who was 239, 7-248, 8-265, 9-272, 10-304. recall for leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, who had Ganga’s resolute 77 over five dropped from the second Bowling: 22-3-76-1, 21- been predicted to return with the hours with nine fours took the test due to poor form, 6-57-3, (1nb), 16-3-27-0, West Indies to 191-6 at stumps on a continued to struggle for pitch expected to assist the slower bowlers. 23.5-5-83-2 (1nb), 14-6-33-2, Daren slow and low bouncy National seven deliveries before All-rounder Watson was ruled out on Monday Ganga 4-0-20-0. Stadium wicket in reply to Gul shattered his after a fitness test on his damaged hamstring and West Indies first innings Pakistan’s first innings score of stumps in the next over Michael Clarke, a late replacement for Watson at Chris Gayle c Razzaq b Gul 40 304. The tourists still trail with a perfect yorker. , stays in the squad. Daren Ganga not out 77 Pakistan by 113 runs. “It’s a slow and “It is very disappointing for Brian Lara b Gul 0 Gul (3-49) gave the West Indies docile track and it’s very that he will not be fit for this match but we are b Gul 0 a double jolt in his first over after tough for batsmen hopeful for a speedy recovery in advance of the c Farhat b Kaneria 36 lunch when he claimed the wick- because of an unpre- Runako Morton c Farhat b Kaneria 21 third test,” Hilditch said. ets of Chris Gayle and captain dictable bounce,” said Dwayne Bravo c Akmal b Kaneria 8 “Michael Clarke seized his opportunity after Brian Lara in the space of three Ganga, who faced 214 not out 0 being called in at late notice and played extreme- balls. balls in his unbeaten Extras: (5b, 4nb) 9 ly well throughout the first test and again this high- “Lara shuffles a lot when he knock. TOTAL: (for six wickets) 191 lights the strength of Australian cricket. starts his innings and there are Despite losing three Overs: 72.4. Batting time: 308 minutes. “The possibility of using two specialist spin- always chances of getting him lbw wickets at the same total Fall of wicket: 1-51, 2-51, 3-51, 4-114, 5-153, 6-190. ners continues to be discussed. That decision is or bowled early on,” Gul, 22, said. of 51, Shivnarine Still to bat: Corey Collymore, Daren Powell, Jerome made more difficult while Shane Watson is unfit “We have studied a lot of Chanderpaul (36 off 49 Taylor. but it will be reviewed depending on the particular Lara’s videos, I bowled according balls) opted for an Bowling: Umar Gul 16-4-49-3 (3nb), Shahid Nazir 12-2- conditions we will face at each venue,” he added. to the plan and it paid off.” attacking approach and 38-0, Danish Kaneria 28.4-11-48-3, Abdul Razzaq 12- Gayle dominated the opening added a run-a-minute 63 Australia: (capt), Adam 3-41-0 (1nb), Mohammad Hafeez 4-1-10-0. Gilchrist, Michael Clarke, , Matthew stand of 51 runs with his aggres- with Ganga. Imran sive 40 off 54 balls that included Farhat, who dropped Hayden, , Mitchell Johnson, from Chanderpaul that gave six fours before Abdul Razzaq Gayle on 12 before lunch, took a Justin Langer, , Damien Martyn, Glenn Danish Kaneria (3-48) one of his attempted twice and brought up a sharp reflex catch off a hard push McGrath, Shaun Tait, . three wickets. Chaminda and Shantha win two medals each

Susil Premalal reporting medals with athletes G.A. Wesley from Malaysia and Sunil Amarasinghe and swim- Swimmer Chaminda mer Jagath Wanniarachchi climb- Priyadarshana and athlete ing the podium. Shantha Kumara won two silver In all Sri Lanka secured seven medals each in the 9th FESPIC silver medals and three bronze Games for the differently able here medals on day four. yesterday. Athletes Udaya At the end of the fourth day of Pushpakuamara and Subani the 9th FESPIC Games, Sri Lanka Udeshika also won silver medals had won two gold medals, 13 silver while there were three bronze medals and six bronze medals tak- ing its overall tally to 21.

Wednesday 29th November, 2006